Tikal Tour

Tikal tour from San Ignacio

A tour of this site is sure to satisfy your hunger for adventure. Located in what is commonly known as the Mayan Biosphere Reserve in Peten, the ancient Maya city of Tikal in Guatemala offers an experience unlike any other.

The first expedition to Tikal was in 1848 AD and is a modern name that means the waterhole. Tikal almost became an empire but Calakmul and Caracol had a different plan and conquered them in 562 AD

The building you presently see at Tikal started to be built after 700 AD because their conquerors only allowed Temple 5 to be built. After 700 AD Tikal started to restore its former glory but then the classic collapse occurred in the central lowlands.

Tikal was first seen by Andrea De Alvanando in 1696 AD. This city was one of the most powerful kingdoms, and at the height of its rule, was home to almost 120,000 Mayas. In 1979, UNESCO designated the ruins a World Heritage Site, a national symbol, and a source of pride in the past.

The city is a crucial part of Tikal National Park which aside from housing the Mayan Temples, palaces, and remains of small dwellings, and tombs, is also home to a large variety of flora and fauna. This includes 5 jungle cats, various anteaters, monkeys, and a vast variety of birds.

Tikal Maya Ruin Tips and Advisory

Tikal Maya Ruins Experience with us!

Kawiil Tours is an inbound tour operator for Belize and is owned and operated by Luis Zaiden. Luis grew up in San Ignacio Town, Cayo district in the beautiful foothills of the Maya mountain. From a young age, Luis had a passion for history and nature. He spent most of his childhood with his friends playing in the river and also playing hide and seek in what is now Cahal Pech Archeological site. He never knew at the time that he would end up running his very own Tour Company. Nevertheless, that came to an end when he went to high school and eventually started working in Belize City.

KaWiil Tours offers the best of Western Belize. Luis and his licensed tour guides are well-trained and highly educated in Maya History. Travelers refer to Luis as having an "Encyclopedic Memory" of nature and history.

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    Here’s what people have to say about us

    KaWiil Tours
    4.9
    Based on 18 reviews
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    Zach Sarnoff
    Zach Sarnoff
    16:17 25 Nov 21
    I went with Luis to ATM caves and it was awesome!!
    Olivia Pulsipher
    Olivia Pulsipher
    02:07 11 Aug 21
    We did the ATM tour, Luis was exceptionally knowledgeable... about not only this tour but many other sites in the area. We spent several hours inside the cave learning about the history. Highlight of my trip.read more
    Christine Scheer
    Christine Scheer
    02:14 30 May 21
    Incredible experience! So very happy we chose KaWiil. We... really wanted to do the cave tubing, but I was nervous since we booked so late. To my surprise, KaWiil Tours actually called me back to say that John was available to be our guide. John was on time bright and early the next morning, he even found us wandering around outside our hotel before he swept us off to the Nohoch Che'en cave. As an experienced cave explorer, super friendly dude, a natural resource management professional, and native Belizean (naturally!) we were so impressed with the way he showed us the lizards, plants, trees, birds, insects, fish and flowering plants along the trail. He took us through the caves; it was like we had the place all to ourselves! John introduced us to the bats, the swallows, kingfishers, ancient Mayan traditions, cave formations and river flow... so awesome. I was blown away. Afterwards, he bought us lunch at a cool tiki bar and filled us in on Belize history; so super. We had the BEST time. Thank you, John! You really made our visit to San Ignacio special!read more
    Doss Ramsey
    Doss Ramsey
    22:21 25 Mar 21
    We had an excellent tour of the ATM cave with Luis who... managed to get two young fellas in their 20s and an old timer a few months short of 80 through without a hitch!I was pleasantly surprised by how informed Luis was regarding the cave and its history, as well as his knowledge of local plants and wildlife, other attractions, and the energy that he brought to the tour.This tour with Kawiil Tours was the highlight of our time in Belize and I'll be recommending it to anyone I know heading to San Ignacio! 10/10read more
    Emma Hignett
    Emma Hignett
    22:54 28 Oct 19
    What an incredible experience! A must if you are in Belize.... Luis, our tour guide was excellent. Very knowledgeable about the local area and the caves. Luis mainly has smaller groups, so whilst other groups had 8 people per tour guide, my partner and I were the only ones in our group. Highly recommended.read more
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